Aesthetically you have got to love the stylish yet simplistic look of the Q350, they have a very refined look and build quality that will impress anyone who sees them. The Uni-Q driver array looks superb and the cabinets are well finished, feeling solid and heavy.
Setup:
Ideally you want to place the Q350 40cm or further away from any walls, they are rear ported and quite sensitive to placement, however they do come with foam port bungs in case you don’t have that much breathing room. Toeing them in slightly helps focus the centre image, however due to their design the off axis response is very good.
Sound:
Sound wise the midrange is definitely the standout part of the frequency response, grabbing your attention with plenty of energy and a lifelike presentation. It does an impressive job of sounding well integrated, yet cleanly separated from the lows and highs. The lows are punchy and surprisingly full, the port bungs will help you tune the low end to your preference, as fully open might be a little too full for some.
Extension is always going to be a little limited, however when listening to music I have never found it to be lacking. The highs have enough sparkle to prevent the Q350 from sounding too dark, and they bring out a good amount of air and detail in recordings. For a metal dome tweeter, the Q350 do not have a particularly sharp top end, which is good for relaxing and longer listening sessions, but it does mean they are a little safe sounding. The Q350 sound best when playing at slightly higher volumes, they just don’t sound very engaging at lower volumes.
Conclusion:
The Q350‘s have a good grip on the music, they do however lean towards a more refined and smooth sound than being overly punchy and energetic. This can work wonders depending on the music you listen to, and they are certainly not lacking when it comes to detail retrieval. When positioned properly they portray a very convincing stereo image, and the great off-axis response is welcome when you have people over.
British firm KEF has decided to follow up on its acclaimed KEF M500 on-ear model with a slimmer, lighter version. It’s not easy to follow in the footsteps of a famous sibling, and the work is cut out for the KEF M400 in this regard. However the KEF M400 has form which exceeds its weight class and is a real contender. The M400 would make a terrible boxer as it often remains out for far longer than a ten second count; however it’s got me right hooked.
Pros:
Small and light
Sturdy build and construction
Removable cable with mic/controls
Stylish understated design
Folds up for easy storage
Cons:
Soundstage limited
Design and Appearance
The M400 model maintains a family resemblance with its flat ear cusions and swept back ear cups, but it is definitely a cut down version of the chunkier KEF M500. The headband is much thinner, plus the earcups are constructed from aluminium; they’re misleadingly light!
Durability & Build Quality
Despite the lighter and sleeker construction, the M400 still feels like a solid headphone and a fitting follow-up for KEF. The cable is not thick, but has a hard-wearing feel about it with decent strain reliefs at each end. The mic/controls on the cable have no strain reliefs.
Comfort
First impressions were regarding the headband padding and size – with this reviewer being a bighead, the headband needed to be fully extended in order for the earpads to properly sit on the ears, and the headband makes itself known by applying pressure to the top of the head. having said that, they have remained in position for upwards of an hour now, with no significant discomfort.
Suitability/Portability
As a portable model, the M400 is ideal; it does everything well. It leaks very little sound even with a high volume level, it’s light, can be worn around the neck unobtrusively and goes into the supplied carry pouch very nicely. The earcups are hinged so the M400 can easily be folded up, and it even fits in the case when the earcups are extended fully so the headband sliders don’t need to be adjusted all the time. Perfect!
Sound isolation
The KEF M400 does a fair job of keeping out exterior sounds; don’t expect to be incommunicado as you listen to Marillion, but enough environmental noise is blocked to keep things enjoyable.
Sound characteristics
Overall, the sound is very similar to the M500 model in terms of balance. The M400 is a little lighter-sounding with not so much bass presence and subtler treble, for a slightly more neutral sound.
Bass
Bass is still very much a part of proceedings, strongly underpinning the music without stealing the show; however there is a little looseness up at the top end of the bass end of things. Not enough to impinge on the midrange, however.
Mids
The natural and effortless presentation within the midrange is what makes the M500 great, and the M400 is no different. Instruments jump out at the listener, taking on form and appearing very real without feeling forced. There’s bags of room, and everything is nice and clear even with plenty going on.
Treble
Treble is relaxed but tight and accurate. The M400 is a good choice for those with some sensitivity to higher frequencies, but who do not want to miss any details. Like the midrange, the higher frequencies are not forced but very effective at the same time. The treble puts the cherry on the midrange cake to reveal that last harmonic and render a presentation very convincing.
Soundstage & Separation
Soundstage is fairly good, helped along by the clarity of the midrange. It is perhaps limited by the on-ear design when compared to a full-sized closed back, as the folds of the ear are flattened by the earpads’ design and internal reflections are skewed somewhat. Separation is crisp and clear, with everything in place and well defined.
Music genres good for and why
Pop and rock are very good with the KEF M400; jazz, classical and acoustic may suffer slightly from a lack of soundstage relative to full sized or open headphones but this is a minor drawback. For a fuller bass sound maybe try the M500 model, but the M400 gives a good clean fight and only hugs my head as I enjoy the music!
Summary
A good choice for those who like a smooth and trouble-free model; the KEF M400 is the perfect mixture of stylishness, sound quality and practicality.
For this showdown we decided to look for the best portable on ear headphone in the £200 to £300 price range, and for the next month we are offering 10% off all of the headphones mentioned – just add the code ‘showdown2014’ to your checkout for this offer!
For us there were three contenders:
Sennheiser Momentum
Aedle VK-1
KEF M500
We found that they all had their own qualities and sound signatures but there was one that stood out as the overall favourite – here is a break down of our reviews for each headphone:
The Full-size Momentum from Sennheiser is the big brother to the smaller on-ear Momentum; the last word in luxurious, portable listening with sumptuous earpads made from real leather. These headphones are fantastic for separation, and they have a very wide soundstage which belies their closed back design. Sound isolation is high; the leather pads excel in keeping unwanted noises out, while social isolation is low due to the handy Apple mic and controls.
A great newcomer to the Portable Headphone range – The Aedle VK-1 has real punch with weighty bass and cracking midrange. Not only do they sound exciting, they look it too! They are easy enough to drive off a portable device and are very comfortable. So if your looking for a portable on ear headphone with an exciting sound, great bass and stylish looks then look no further.
KEFs addition to the portable range of headphones is sleek, comfortable and most importantly sounds great! Clear detail with tight bass and crisp mids – They also fold up for easy storage and come with a spare cable for iDevices. The KEF M500 is extremely well built and feels solid, the pads are soft and they isolate very well.
Ultra portability with their folding design, tough carry case and great isolation along with clear crisp sound makes them the ultimate portable headphone.
KEFs addition to the portable range of headphones is sleek, comfortable and most importantly sounds great! Clear detail with tight bass and crisp mids – They also fold up for easy storage and come with a spare cable for iDevices. The KEF M500 is extremely well built and feels solid, the pads are soft and they isolate very well.
Pros
Foldable
Solidly built
Extra cable with in-line mic and controls for iDevices
Cons
Earpads are fully on the ear so can get warm
Key Features
Driver diameter – 40mm
Impedance – 32 Ohms
Weight – 208 g
Replaceable cable (iDevice cable included)
Foldable headband
Cable length – 1.3m
First Impressions
From the start you can see that KEF have gone for an elegant design. The packaging is simple, and follows the M500s colour pallet of silver and black. Inside you get a hard case – again very simple and well designed, 2 1.3m tangle-free flat cables (one with 3 button remote and microphone for iDevices), a flight adapter and a 6.3mm jack converter.
The M500 is very well built, and thanks to the aluminium frame not only are they light weight but they look great too! The headband padding is very soft and the earpads are made from breathable memory foam – this provides great isolation. KEF has not only designed a headphone that feels good – they also look great and they’re extremely comfortable.
Sound Quality
The KEF M500‘s are well balanced without being boring – clean, clear and crisp with tight bass, well defined mids and lots of top end detail. Having a well balanced sound makes them sound great with all genres and the top end detail works really well with acoustic music or any songs with plenty going on. The separation is superb – you can hear the edge of every instrument, and considering these are fully closed back they have great soundstage.
Summary
For a portable headphone the KEF M500 is gives you everything – stylish, compact, well built, iPhone compatible, comfortable and it sounds great. The sound will suit anyone looking for a clean, balanced and detailed sound – especially in the higher frequencies. For a warmer sound I would suggest the Sennheiser Momentum or for something with more bass impact the Aedle VK-1 would be a good choice.
KEF M200 Premium In-Ear Sound Isolating Clip-On HiFi Earphones. Taking on over 50 years experience in speaker design, KEF have re-created their celebrated full size speaker sound and made it portable with the M200 earphones. With KEF’s unique Dual Dynamic Driver technology the M200 offers detailed and engagingly natural sound with tight and controlled bass.
Two dedicated dynamic drivers cleverly placed in the housing combine in two separate chambers to funnel detailed, engagingly natural sound into the ear canal. With a 5.5mm driver devoted to the mid and high frequencies and a dedicated 10mm driver for the bass region, the M200 captures the natural an integrate sounds of live performances. As the drivers encased in a lightweight aluminium housing the M200 offers a tight and resonance-free bass performance.
KEF’s high performance audio cable incorporates an in-line microphone and remote for iPhone and Apple devices, smartphones, computers and other mobile devices. Included in the package of the M200 is a flight adapter, a protective case for storage and three pairs of silicone eartips.
To ensure the perfect fit, the secure arm of frame folds to the shape of the ear while the ergonomic shell the and soft silicone eartips create a tight acoustical seal for an undiluted and private listening.
Unique Dual Dynamic Driver technology
Detailed and engagingly natural sound across the frequency range
Light aluminium housing for tight, resonance-free bass
Secure Arm folds to shape of ear for secure fit
Ergonomic shell and soft silicone eartips form tight acoustic seal
High performance audio cable (1.2m) with gold plated 3.5mm jack
Compatible with smartphones, computers and other mobile devices
In-line microphone and remote for iPhone and other Apple products
Flight adapter, protective pouch and three pairs of silicone eartips
Taking the celebrated KEF M500 Closed Back Apple Compatible Headphones sound to the streets, the M500 headphones offer balanced and natural sound with intense clarity and detail united with comfortable design and Smartphone compatibility.
KEF M500 headphones incorporate fine-tuned 40mm neodymium drivers that deliver an extended high definition frequency response. Precise driver alignment in the acoustic chamber optimises clarity, dynamics and bass performance. Special acoustic sealing rings in the earcups allows for full isolation from external sounds while minimising sound leakage to the outside maintaining a private listening experience.
With KEF’s unique multi-directional Smart Hinge that make sure the earcups are positioned perfectly. Breathable memory foam earpads, lightweight design and comfortable headband together make the M500 a pleasure to wear, even for extended listening sessions.
KEF’s high performance audio cable incorporates an in-line microphone and remote for iPhone and other Apple devices, smartphones, computers and other mobile devices. To make sure the headphones are protected when not in use, KEF include an elegant storage case that matches the M500 design and build quality.
Neodymium driver tuned to deliver full range high definition response
Acoustic chamber is precisely positioned to optimise clarity, dynamics and bass
Copper-clad aluminium wire voice coil improves response to enhance musical subtleties and detail
Precision engineered in aluminium alloy lightweight frame
Multi-directional Smart Hinge on frame conforms to head shape
Memory foam earpads mould to the shape of the ear
Breathable earpad material maximises bass performance and comfort
Acoustic sealing ring isolates from external noise and minimises sound leakage
In-line microphone and remote for iPhone and other Apple products
